Eastern North Carolina Encyclopedia

Front matter

Eastern North Carolina

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Where Prosperity is Perennial

Preface

IN PRESENTING to the reader this "Encyclopedia" of Eastern North Carolina, we wish to emphasize the fact that the information contained herein about any county, is authentic. These facts of the various counties participating, have been carefully gone over by the Eastern Carolina Chamber of Commerce officials to be sure that no extravagant statements have been made.

This organization, which has for its territory 46 counties in Eastern North Carolina, felt that a publication such as this, where the information could be regarded as authentic, is necessary. There are so many "facts" issued about different sections that have no substantial backing, the would-be-citizen becomes disgusted and is inclined not to believe any of them. But you may be assured that you are dealing with a reputable organization and that nothing will be misrepresented in these pages. We invite you to investigate the possibilities of Eastern North Carolina, "Where Prosperity is Perennial."

For further information about any part of Eastern North Carolina, please write,

EASTERN CAROLINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Headquarters: Kinston, N. C.

North Carolina to the Front Rank

North Carolina to the Front Rank

Although this publication deals primarily with conditions in Eastern North Carolina, it might be well to give a few facts about the State as a whole. The counties listed in this publication have made it possible and although the territory covered by this organization includes 46 counties, only those making appropriations for this special work are included in this book. However, the Eastern Carolina Chamber of Commerce will be delighted to furnish information about any of the counties of the 46.

No state in the Union has made such rapid increase industrially, agriculturally, and educationally as North Carolina, during the recent years. Her growth sounds more like a fairy tale than it does real facts. But it is a fact just the same. In 1900 expenditures for education in North Carolina amounted to less than a million; in 1923 the expenditures total $23,000,000.00. In 1900 the expenditure for new school buildings was less than $41,000.00; in 1922 it was more than $6,000,000.00. In 1900 the average value of each school house was $150.00; in 1922 it was $4,500.00. In 1900 the average length of public school term was 73 days; in 1922 it was 143 days. In 1900 North Carolina had about 30 high schools; in 1923 she had 475. In 1900 the percentage of illiteracy in North Carolina was 29.4; in 1920 it had been reduced to 13.1, the white race being only 7.1.

MANUFACTURING

In 1900 the capital invested in manufacturing in North Carolina was $68,283,000.00; in 1920 it was $669,144,000.00. In 1900 the value of manufactured products was $85,274,000.00; in 1920, $943,808,000.00. In 1920 North Carolina cotton mills used 190,000,000 pounds of cotton; in 1920, 449,000,000 pounds. In 1900 North Carolina produced 29,790,000 bushels of corn; in 1920, 54,630,000 bushels.

FINANCES

These figures speak for themselves. In 1900 the total resources of the National Banks of North Carolina was $15,362,000.00; in 1920, $183,816,000.00. In 1900 the total deposits in National Banks in the State were $16,700,000.00; in 1920 they were $315,000,000.00. In 1900 the assessed valuation of property in the State was $306,579,000.00; in 1920 it was $3,139,705,000.00.

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA HAS HER SHARE

Our territory covers half the State and the enormous figures referred to above apply half to Eastern Carolina and half to the other part of the State. No section of the State has made greater progress along any line than the Eastern Part of the State and we take great pride in submitting figures to anybody interested in determining any of the above facts relating to this section.

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Bertie County

The home-seeker and investor will find in Bertie County, a pleasant land, a hospitable people, a productive soil, a low valuation of property, and a low tax rate; good schools, convenient churches, and a warm welcome.

Its population is homogeneous and law-abiding. The feeling between the races is friendly and cordial. We have nearly a half million acres of land, and around twenty-five thousand people. We have room for all who wish to better themselves.

The Bankhead National Highway passes north and south through the county; and the county has a well organized road system and force. The surface of the county is gently rolling, to rolling. Its highest point above the sea level is 97 feet. All of the lands are capable of drainage. A dozen rivers, creeks and swamps furnish an outlet for water.

According to Weather Bureau reports the mean annual temperature is 60.3 F. The winter mean is 42.5, and the summer mean is 77.5. The date of the last killing frost in the spring is April 26th, and that of the earliest in the fall, October 12th. The average date of the last killing frost in the spring is April 1st, and that of the first in the fall, November 1st. This gives an average growing season of 214 days, amply sufficient for maturing all farm and garden crops. There is an ample average rainfall of 50.93. The rainfall is well distributed, the heaviest in the summer and the lightest in the fall. The lands are wonderfully fertile and adapted to any crops raised on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. There are twenty-one soil types in the county in addition to the swamps and pocosins. The main crops raised are cotton, peanuts, tobacco, corn and vegetables. The per acre production of these crops is largely above the average.

The Roanoke River on the west, the Chowan River on the east, and the Cashie River in the center furnish cheap water transportation. Railroad transportation serves the northern and western parts of the county.

The forests of the county have been cut over, but the soil is naturally timber bearing and reforesting is very rapid. Pine, cypress, ash, maple, oak and gum are the predominating commercial woods.

The population of Bertie County is agricultural and rural. There are a half dozen localities where the establishment of a factory of any character would enlist intelligent labor and not disturb the farm work by withdrawal of such persons from the farm. Large families are the rule in the county.

The county is splendidly adapted to the raising of large sheep, cattle and poultry. The cut-over lands and the pocosins and semi-swamps afford bountiful grazing on grass and young reeds.

The waters within the county and bordering on it are full of both food and sport fish. The herring, shad, perch, and rock of the Albemarle section are justly famed for their excellence and food supply. Bertie County borders on the head of Albemarle Sound and these edible fish reach perfection here. The canning of fish roe is an inviting field for profitable investment.

Game is abundant and consists of deer, wild turkeys, quail, squirrel, wild ducks and other game birds. Hook and line fishing is an inviting sport.

Berries and nuts grow here in abundance, especially strawberries and pecans. English walnuts thrive well.

There are fine areas for colonization. The cut-over "piney woods" section can be bought cheap and made garden spots of productivity.

Ninety-three per cent of the adult population are members of some church. Baptist, Episcopal and Methodist churches are in the towns and scattered about the county.

The county has a number of good country schools and is determined to give its youth every educational advantage.

Bertie County employs a whole-time health officer. The health of the people is generally good, and the citizenship is robust, energetic and thrifty.

Public roads reach all sections of the county, and the whole population is well served by rural delivery and telephone.

The population of the county descended from Scotch-Irish and English ancestry. There is no foreign population.

The southern practice of hospitality still abides. The stranger within our gates is made to feel at home by our whole-hearted welcome of "howdy, come in."

S. W. KENNEY,

Register of Deeds.

Economic Resources of Duplin County

Economic Resources of Duplin County

Duplin County, situated in the southeastern part of the State of North Carolina, has an ideal climate for farming. The population is, therefore, for the most part, rural, and of the purest American stock. This rural population is educating its children with modern means and methods, always steadfastly clinging to the curricula which will make for men and women trained both for citizenship and life. Of the 483,306 acres of land, there is a great portion that is offered for development, and the new vitality and knowledge of the new-comer is welcome.

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FARMING

Duplin County contains some of the best farming lands in the United States, and the second best in the South. 65,100 acres are cultivated by farm owners; 41,788 by tenants. Tobacco, cotton and truck crops are grown in greater abundance than any other. There are over 11,000 acres well suited to the production of cotton. In 1920, an average of 275 pounds of lint cotton was produced per acre. In 1920, there were 52,720 acres of corn, which produced on an average of 19 bushels an acre. The southern end of the county is well suited for the growing of tobacco, cotton, corn, and berries. The northern end is suited to the growing of cotton, corn, Irish and sweet potatoes, melons, berries, and cucumbers. In 1920, the bright leaf tobacco produced in Duplin County sold for approximately six and a half million dollars.

The largest shipping point for tuberoses and Magnolia bulbs in the world is at Magnolia. The largest cucumber market in the world is at Calypso.

There are 304,989 acres of wooded land, 6,083 acres improved pasture lands, 106,850 acres cultivated lands, and 23,267 acres of land cleared and easy to cultivate, BUT AT PRESENT LYING OUT IDLE.

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MANUFACTURING

Though agriculture is the principal occupation, the manufacture of lumber, doors, sash, and fruit and vegetable packages, both for home and foreign use, has assumed considerable proportions. The recent extension of the Tidewater Power Company's power lines through the county opens up new possibilities in this field. With this power in the cotton producing centers, the manufacture of cotton and cotton seed products will be an ideal industry for this section. The use of Tidewater power is considered cheaper than the use of steam in manufacturing in this county.

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WEALTH

The census property valuation of the county in 1919 was $32,500,000; crop production, $20,000,000; per capita wealth, $1,080; per capita farm production, $665. The bank resources are approximately $3,800,000. There are in Duplin County ideal opportunities for opening up new fields of wealth, namely, the manufacture of cotton, cotton seed products, and lumber. Electric power is available in the centers where these raw materials are produced at reasonable rates.

POPULATION

The increase in population from 1910 to 1920 was 18.8 per cent, 2.9 per cent higher than the average rate for North Carolina, and 3.9 per cent higher than the average rate for the United States.

The population, according to the 1920 census, was 30,223. The majority of inhabitants are of pure American stock, whose predecessors were Irish, Scotch, English, and Swiss, mainly. There are no undesirable aliens.

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LIVING CONDITIONS

Living conditions are good, and the climate is healthful. Crowded conditions do not exist. The majority of inhabitants live in rural communities, in which there are good churches and schools.

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS

Each rural community has its church, the denomination of which is either Methodist, Baptist, or Presbyterian. The other denominations have few churches in the county.

The value of school property is approximately one-half million dollars. New buildings valued at about $110,000 will be completed in 1923. The expenditure of about $210,000 on the erection of new buildings is being planned for the next two years.

The County Board of Education on the 15th of January, 1924, adopted a definite and comprehensive county-wide plan of organization of schools, which looks to the ultimate consolidation of all the schools in the county unit. In each township, one central school, modernly equipped, is planned. This plan has the cooperation of the State Department of Education. Many townships have already consolidated, and others are working with that aim.

For any specific information about Duplin County, address—

JAS. J. BOWDEN, Register of Deeds KENANSVILLE, N. C.

Edgecombe County

Lying Near the Center of the North Temperate Zone, It Has an Ideal Climate and Assures Four Distinct Seasons

Settled in 1719.

Created in 1741 as a county.

515 square miles.

306,756 acres.

Population, 37,995—1920 census.

Taxable wealth, 1923—

Real property | |$23,256,618.00

Personal property | |6,562,192.00

Other property | |3,703,333.00

| Total | | $33,522,143.00

Natural Waters —

Tar River

Fishing Creek

Toon Creek

Deep Creek

Swift Creek

Railroads —

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad

East Carolina Railway

Public Roads —

22 miles hard surface (7 now under construction) .

34 miles sand and clay State Highway.

100 miles sand and clay and gravel.

675 miles dirt.

831

One hundred seventy-three concrete and (or) steel bridges.

Public Schools —

2 chartered schools.

8 consolidated schools.

55 district schools.

65 Total schools.

Churches and S. S.

Episcopal

Presbyterian

Baptist

Methodist

Old Side Baptist

Roman Catholic

Christian

Lutheran

Incorporated Towns

Tarboro

Rocky Mount (half in Edgecombe)

Whitakers (half in Edgecombe)

Battleboro (half in Edgecombe)

Sharpsburg (half in Edgecombe)

Macclesfield

Pinetops

Conetoe

Speed

COUNTY OFFICERS

Commissioners

J. V. Cobb, Chairman

H. G. Brown

D. B. Gaskill

W. H. Home

E. Y. Lovelace

Board of Education

M. G. Mann, Chairman

Dr. R. H. Speight

H. L. Brake

Road Commission

B. F. Shelton, Chairman

H. P. Foxhall

J. A. Forbes

T. A. Wiggins

Arthur Fountain

State Senator | Paul Jones

Representative | R. T. Fountain

Clerk of Court | A. T. Walston

Register of Deeds | Miss M. B. Bunn

Sheriff | J. W. Thomas

Supt. Public Instruction | R. E. Sentelle

County Auditor | J. A. Weddell

Farm Dem. Agent | Zeno Moore

Public Health Officer | Dr. R. C. Gyles

Welfare Officer | Mrs. Ann H. Ditto

Home Dem. Agent | Miss Dorothy Dean

Red Cross Nurse | Miss Ella Mae Fryar

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INDUSTRIAL

Edgecombe County, while principally and potentially an agricultural county, has made great progress along industrial lines, and its manufacturing industries form a considerable part of its gross wealth.

Being one of the largest producers of both cotton and tobacco, local capital has naturally been attracted to the erection and operation of tobacco sales and storage warehouses, located in the principal towns of the county, and every town in the county has its local cotton market, with facilities for storing large quantities of cotton in standard warehouses. There are also organizations for the handling and storage of peanuts and sweet potatoes.

Edgecombe is the home and headquarters for the East Carolina Railway and the Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company; has cotton, yarn and hosiery mills, fertilizer factories, cotton seed oil mills, lumber manufacturing plants, veneer plants, all of which add greatly to the material wealth of the county, and furnish steady work and income for its citizens.

The banks, building and loan associations, and wholesale and retail mercantile establishments are organized and operated, not only on a profitable business basis, but also with the view of supplying every need to the citizens of the county from home institutions.

Not only are the local markets easily accessible, but being on the main line of the railroad, foreign markets can be reached without delay.

Edgecombe County welcomes home builders and home workers within her borders. She does not invite speculators or promoters.

AGRICULTURE

When North America was first settled, Edgecombe County was chosen by a fine class of citizenship for their homes, and to-day a large number of the population are descendants of those first settlers and home builders. Edgecombe County is sufficiently inland, and has sufficient altitude to make agriculture home building and community life very inviting.

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Edgecombe is strictly a Coastal Plain county, although its boundaries extend to the foot of the Hill Country. Our fields are level, we have no rocks or heavy clay soils, and the streams that rise in the hills flow through the county, following the general incline of the surface, northwest to southeast, and have worn themselves deep streams beds, thus giving an excellent natural drainage, and reducing overflow lands to a minimum. The rainfall is perhaps as nearly ideal as in any land upon which the sun shines; the annual average being 53 inches, well distributed throughout the year.

The dominating soils are of the Norfolk fine sandy loam type, than which there is none better anywhere. It has been established by experiments and experience that a greater number of leguminous plants thrive in Edgecombe County than in any other area of like size in the United States. The number of field crops that can be successfully grown, including vegetables, grapes and nuts, is almost only limited by the known varieties. The farmers have organized a seed breedings association, which insures the highest type of seed, and those best suited to the soil and climate. Live stock, principally hogs, cattle and sheep are easily and successfully raised and marketed.

Pecans in North Carolina

By W. M. ROPER, Petersburg, Va.

The pecan is the oldest food crop in the South. Before Raleigh, DeSoto, Columbus, the pecan was gathered and eaten by the first Americans. Prevailing necessity now calls for a basic change in our food regime, a change from animal to vegetable, the primal factor of which will be nuts. "To nuts, then, must we look for the future sustenance of the race", says a national dietetic expert. "The nut growers of the future will be the aristocrats of the agricultural world. Half a century hence the nut crop will far exceed in volume and in value our present animal industry".

In line with this existing and increasing demand for nuts, together with the peculiar adaptability of this section for the culture of pecans, the choicest of all nuts, is the campaign just begun by the agricultural forces of the State having for its object the planting of a million pecan trees in Eastern North Carolina in the next four years.

The campaign is fostered by the Department of Agriculture and the Extension Division of the North Carolina State College of Agriculture, co-operating with the extension workers and the county farm agents. C. D. Matthews, State Horticulturist, and H. M. Curran, Farm Forester, with the assistance of W. N. Roper of Petersburg, Virginia, an experienced pecan grower, familiar with all phases of pecan culture, will have direct supervision over the campaign.

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It is planned to have twenty-five men in each county plant 100 pecan trees each year for four years, and to have every farmer plant a dozen or more trees around his home and farm lot. Mr. Roper will give advice as to soils, locations and planting; how the trees may be secured and the prices that should be paid for them. Arrangements have been made to secure for planters the very best trees of right varieties, propagated by methods best suited to North Carolina and at prices much lower than those often paid for indifferent trees. Since the two most important steps in successful pecan culture are selection of varieties and of locations in which to plant them, these matters will receive particular attention during the campaign. A specialist from the department, working with the county agents, will assist growers in the after-care and the culture of the trees. Stuart, Schley, Success and Alley will be recommended, the choice of these depending on the character of the soil and the exact location in which they are to be planted. These have been tested and their worth proved in the State.

There are seedling pecan trees in Eastern Carolina which, at 30 years of age, have a trunk diameter of two and a half feet with a height of 65 feet, and produce crops that sell for $150.00 or more in a single season. Older and larger trees produce from 400 to 700 pounds annually. There are young budded trees bearing record crops. A Stuart tree in Craven County, 7 years old, bore 30 pounds; a tree in Scotland County, 8 years old, bore 50 pounds, another in Wake County, at Raleigh, 10 years old, bore a bushel of pecans this season, and a list of like trees might be carried into the hundreds. Young groves of budded trees ranging from 200 to 1700 trees are now in profitable commercial bearing in the State. Trees of right varieties under proper conditions begin to yield profitable commercial returns at 8 to 10 years and planters may expect an average of 40 pounds per tree when they are 12 to 15 years old. Ten years is not long to wait when you have the land for other farm purposes and increase its value five to ten fold during the time. A pecan grove the first year it is planted, adds from $50 to $100 in value to each acre of land and continues this rate of increase annually for several years.

Ten to 20 acres of pecans planted now, would, within 10 or 15 years support an average family. The land meantime will not have to be withdrawn from farm use. The culture and care given other crops planted on it will be ideal for the pecans if fertilizer is used and leguminous crops for fallow are planted in proper rotation. Trees planted the usual distance of 50 to 60 feet apart each way, 17 or 12 trees to the acre, interfere very little with field work when they are young.

It is not believed that the demand for pecans will be met in a century. Americans are fast becoming a race of nut eaters. In 1920 the nut importations amounted to $58,752,801 as against $3,484,651 in 1900. These were consumed in addition to the nuts grown in America. The Secretary of the National Pecan Growers' Association estimates that not 10 per cent of our population has ever tasted a paper shell pecan, and that of the really fine nuts not enough have ever been produced in a single year to furnish one nut apiece to the population of America.

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Pecan trees are long lived and reach tremendous size; are wind firm and continue to bear crops for an indefinite period. While in common with trees of all kinds they have their pests of insects and diseases they are entirely free from the scale pests and from insects and diseases that do so much injury to the various fruit trees. They have been growing in America for many centuries and thus far have not been affected by any serious enemy. Texas reports what is said to be the largest pecan tree, reputed to be over 800 years old. Its largest measured crop was 1400 pounds or 35 bushels of nuts.

Pecans are produced commercially only in the Southern States of America. When there are enough to "go round" the whole world will be a market for the surplus. The South has a greater monopoly of the pecan than of cotton.

North Carolina with its strong, rich soils in combination with an ideal climate that produces pecans to perfection, offers unusual opportunities for pecan culture. With a million pecan trees planted in the State, and a Pecan Growers' Association to market the product, Carolina will take first place in the South in the production of pecans, and the neat homes, so characteristic of the orange groves of Florida, and of the fruit farms of the far west, will dot the roadsides and give evidence of its thrift and prosperity.

Greene County

The county of Greene, so named in honor of Gen. Nathaniel Greene, of Revolutionary fame, is bounded on the north by Edgecombe and Pitt Counties, on the east by Pitt and Lenoir Counties, on the south by Wayne County and on the west by Wilson County. It is drained by the Contentnea River and its tributaries, the Contentnea River crossing the county through the middle. It is a typical county of the once long-leaf pine section. The soils are characteristically gray sandy loams, with yellow to brown subsoil, and belong to the region of level piney uplands. Along the borders of the various streams are frequent and extensive tracts of alluvial lands, and on some of them, particularly the Contentnea River, occur cypress and gum swamps of considerable area.

The soil of the county has every variety, from the black peaty soil to the stiff clay. The predominating soil is a light friable loam, being about four inches in depth and shading off in most places to a subsoil of yellow sand. When first cleared it is in many places of a darkish color, wearing white by use when not well manured and properly cultivated. This soil is easy to till at all seasons of the year.

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The variety, excellence and abundance of the products grown indicate alike the character of the soil and the intelligence and industry of the farmers. Those who at an early period assisted or directed nature in the use of her forces, and by the skilful application of fertilizers, and by the careful husbanding and the skilful manipulation of all domestic stores of fertility, made Greene County conspicuous as one of the best agricultural counties of the East. Tobacco, corn and cotton constitute the most valuable field crops, but almost any crop grown in the State may be grown within its borders, such as wheat, oats, rice, potatoes, peas, and many other crops are grown successfully. In some sections of the county marl is found in abundance, and is used to fertilize the lands, making the growth of the above crops an easy and profitable occupation.

For poultry and live stock this is an ideal county on account of the natural pastures, pasture crops and leguminous plants, such as velvet beans and soy beans. It is good for the growing of feed stuffs and is close to good live stock markets. For trucking, Greene County has the Norfolk fine sandy loam soil that is fertile and well drained. The soil is particularly adapted to the cultivating of blackberries, cabbage, lettuce, asparagus, carrots and melons, and is close to good trucking markets.

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Much of the land of Greene County is particularly adapted to the growth of bright tobacco of a very fine texture, much sought for by the manufacturers of cigarettes. Fabulous prices have been paid for tobacco grown in this county, the growers realizing in many instances from $500 to as high as $1400 per acre for the tobacco grown. This is perhaps the most valuable crop of the county, its total reaching more than 20,000,000 pounds in recent years. There are large areas in the county devoted to the growth of cotton, the second most valuable crop grown, the total bales grown being from 10,000 to 15,000 per annum. It is also a productive corn region, as may well be understood from the character of its best lands reclaimed from swamps.

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In recent years the county has given much attention to the improvement of its roads and improvement of its school system. A network of sand-clay roads connects every section with Snow Hill, the county seat, which is connected with Kinston and the Central Highway by an asphalt road, while other roads of the same kind connecting the county on the north, west and south are already planned, and will in the near future be built. Two railroads traverse the county, the Norfolk-Southern across the northern end, Walstonburg being the principal station on this road, and The Kinston-Carolina Railroad, a subsidiary of the Norfolk-Southern, enters the county from the east, giving access to the markets of the East to the county.

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Snow Hill, the county seat (so named from the abundance of beautiful white sand to be seen in this vicinity), is a town of near 1,000 population, wide-awake and progressive as may be seen by its improved streets and sidewalks. The streets are of the well known concrete asphalt type, while the sidewalks are of concrete. The town has installed a modern water and sewer system, its water being pronounced by competent chemists as of the very best, same being obtained from wells 200 feet deep. It possess two banks, a large number of business houses, a newspaper, four white churches and one of the best schools in the East.

The county contains 242 square miles and contains at present a population a little in excess of 16,000, almost equally divided between the two races. Its property valuation for taxation purposes has grown from $2,000,000 in 1900 to over $20,000,000 in 1924, and the tax total from less than $15,000 in 1900 to over $500,000 in 1924.

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The educational growth in Greene County for the last few years has been shown by the community spirit prevalent, by the number of special tax districts, and by the interest manifested in the improvement and growth of the schools. The schools have been making progress in proportion to the schools in other counties of Eastern North Carolina. As a whole the people have a generous spirit toward education and are waking up as never before for better consolidated schools. In 1921 Greene County constructed its first modern school building at Snow Hill, costing $90,000. This building is modern in every respect, and has a large library and well equipped laboratory for the teaching of science. It is on the accredited list of high schools and has a high school enrollment of 140 pupils. All work is standardized and it draws high school pupils from many districts in the county. All teachers are college trained.

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During the school year of 1922–23 three more modern schools were built. A well equipped brick building at Hookerton with 12 classrooms and basement, a beautiful auditorium with seating capacity of over 500, costing $70,000. Another modern structure with all conveniences was erected at Walstonburg with 12 class rooms and an auditorium of over 500 capacity, costing $50,000. This is a consolidated school of five rural schools. Also another five-room brick school was erected in Shine consolidated district. This is a modern rural school costing $10,000. All of these schools are up-to-date and are monuments to the communities in which they are erected.